Sad death of Morecambe’s well-known homeless man

Flowers and tributes have been left outside a Morecambe shop in memory of a well-known homeless man who has died.

People have also set up crowdfunding pages to raise money to remember Chad with a memorial bench and a plaque at the crematorium.

Chad's trainers lie abandoned in the squat he called home. Picture: Michelle Blade.

Chad, whose real name was Martin Pollock, hung around the West End and town centre of Morecambe and would often sit on the corner of West End Discounts where the floral tributes have been left.

Businesses supplied him with food, coffee, cigarettes, clothes and equipment.

In years gone by, Chad could be seen with his brown and white spaniel in Morecambe town centre and once his dog had to be rescued from a recycling clothing bin at Sainsbury’s after Chad put the dog in there to shelter it from the elements.

Lancaster City Council has now confirmed that Chad, who lived in the district for between eight and 10 years, passed away in hospital.

Flowers have been left outside a Regent Road shop in memory of homeless man Chad. Picture: Michelle Blade.

“He would come in the shop and buy sweets and chocolate then would sit round the corner of the shop,” said Pauline McMahon, manager of West End Discounts.

“That’s why the flowers were left there. A lot of people seemed to know him.

“He came up here suited and booted from London and then things went downhill from there.

“He did have mental health problems so mnaybe needed help before he died. I know he refused a lot of help. “

Helen Sharples of Vanilla Hair and Beauty on Albert Road said: “It was how he wanted to live and he was well taken care of. He never begged or asked anybody for anything.”

Suzanne Lodge, Chief Officer (Health and Housing) at Lancaster City Council, said: “Chad was a widely known character in Morecambe and sleeping rough was something he chose to do.

“As such, Chad steadfastly refused any help from our homeless outreach team or any other statutory agency.

“He declined all offers of accommodation and access to health services.

“Our officers had been

trying to locate Chad for more than a week and aware that his health was failing were becoming increasingly concerned as to his whereabouts.

“It was therefore with deep regret that we were to find out about his sudden death at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary having been taken ill in Morecambe and admitted to

hospital under another name.

“Council officers and other agencies did everything they possibly could to assist him and having been known to many in the West End of

Morecambe this is a very sad time for all those who knew him.”

The coroner has been made aware of the death but there will be no inquest.

Police said they had been notified of the death by the hospital on April 12.

Funeral arrangements or remembrance service arrangements have yet to be released.

Vanilla Hair and Beauty have set up a fundraising page for a plaque for Chad at the crematorium. You can also give donations at the salon on Albert Road or post through the door if the salon is closed.

Another fundraising page has been set up to raise funds for a memorial bench for Chad.

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